After days of intense speculation, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has chosen Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to replace Sen. Dan Inouye, who died of respiratory complications on Dec. 17 at the age of 88. Earlier in the day on Wednesday, pursuant to state law, the Hawaii Democratic Party provided a list of three potential successors to Abercrombie: Schatz, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, and deputy state Land and Natural Resources Director Esther Kiaaina. Abercrombie was required to choose from this trio. (Fourteen candidates in total applied for the job.)

Following Inouye's death, his staff made public a letter he had sent to Abercrombie from his deathbed, asking that Hanabusa be named to his seat. Schatz's appointment therefore comes as something of a surprise, given Inouye's unparalleled stature in Hawaii politics, but if Abercrombie wanted to demonstrate his independence, he certainly just did that.

Schatz was first elected lieutenant governor in 2010 on the same ticket as Abercrombie. Prior to that, he was chair of the state party, a spokesman for the 2008 Obama campaign in Hawaii, and also a state representative from 1998 to 2006. Schatz is now headed to Washington, DC immediately and says that he expects to be sworn in tomorrow, in time to be part of any votes over the fiscal cliff. He'll serve until 2014, when a special election will be held for the final two years of Inouye's term. (Another election, for the full six-year term, will take place in 2016.)

Before any of that can happen, Schatz—who says he will run—could very well face a primary challenge, perhaps from Hanabusa herself. Abercrombie may also face a backlash from Inouye loyalists, and even he could get primaried—again, possibly by Hanabusa. In the meantime, Abercrombie will also need a new lieutenant governor to replace Schatz. (Under the Hawaii constitution, the president of the State Senate—in this case, Shan Tsutsui—ordinarily would accede to the post, though he says he may decline, in which case state House Speaker Calvin Say would be next in line.) As always, we'll be following all of the fallout closely.

by Anonymous

reply 21

01/09/2013

Schatz is sort of nerdy-hot. Queer?

by Anonymous

reply 1

12/27/2012

I don't know, R1. I suppose he could just be a nerdy Jewish boy.

by Anonymous

reply 2

12/27/2012

Why didn't he go with Inouye's pick?

by Anonymous

reply 3

12/27/2012

He's married. He has an identical twin... Perhaps he's the gay one?

by Anonymous

reply 4

12/27/2012

Can't have another yellow person; we need more white men!

by Anonymous

reply 5

12/27/2012

I think the Gov should have honored I's request.

by Anonymous

reply 6

12/28/2012

Here's why:

by Anonymous

reply 7

12/28/2012

Shatz?

by Anonymous

reply 8

12/28/2012

R7, Abercrombie should not be making a decision out of personal preference or spite for Inouye or some type of rivalry. He should be making the decision based on what Inouye wanted, or at least asking the people of Hawaii whether they want the person Inouye chose.

by Anonymous

reply 9

12/28/2012

I guess, since Inouye knew Abercrombie, he also knew this might happen...

by Anonymous

reply 10

12/28/2012

The governor has the power under the constitution of the state to appoint the successor. The previous senator does not. He's under no obligation, moral or legal, to follow the deceased senator's wishes.

by Anonymous

reply 11

01/09/2013

Inouye's personal wishes were in no way binding, either legally or ethically.

by Anonymous

reply 12

01/09/2013

R11 is that person who always recites the pedantic truth everyone already knows, while completely missing the point.

by Anonymous

reply 13

01/09/2013

Also, have you ever been in a company where a vice president or some other such person after years of being in power tries to have influence either as they are exiting or even afterward. We're going thru that right now, someone has retired from a senior position but is staying on, although old and ill, as a part-timer, and the interim replacement is bringing him into every decision. Those who worked under this guy, who largely, although not entirely, made bad decisions in his last, say seven years, are appalled. We thought we had gotten rid of him and were beginning to find our way out of the messes he had created. I suspect Inouye was something like that. I mean the man was a hundred years old, can you imagine how out of touch he must have been.

by Anonymous

reply 14

01/09/2013

And R12 is apparently the same type of idiot as R11, only they feel compelled to come in and repeat what someone else just said for no good reason, especially given that everyone already knows what they're saying. Even more tedious and tiresome.

by Anonymous

reply 15

01/09/2013

Then what is the point r13?

Remember - it is not Inouye's seat IT IS THE PEOPLE'S SEAT. Had Inouye gotten the hell out of there years ago we would not be in these sticky situations.

I suspect we will aee this with that ancient NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg and with John McCain.

by Anonymous

reply 16

01/09/2013

Eat shit and die a slow and painful death, r15. Obviously r11's post did not show up when I was writing mine.

p.s.--the facts that r11 and I posted is 100% correct, and your whining at r13 does nothing to change that.

by Anonymous

reply 17

01/09/2013

Sorry, the facts that we posted ARE 100%; not "is." I mistyped.

by Anonymous

reply 18

01/09/2013

R17, yes, I know. I even said they were 100% correct. And that you were the type of asshole that doesn't listen (or read) and repeats what everyone already knows as if you're some sort of expert and that you're actually adding something to the conversation, which only confirms that you're a clueless self-absorbed fuckwad only interested in "being right", not actually discussing the topic at hand. You're a bore.

by Anonymous

reply 19

01/09/2013

How is it not "discussing the topic at hand" since it's completely relevant to the topic? Oh, I see: you want to control the discussion.

You're a control freak. And an unpleasant one, to boot.

by Anonymous

reply 20

01/09/2013

R20, it's the understanding everyone has. You're just being redundant and an asshole.

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